Meet the Press

We have entered a cumbersome dark period in terms of access to the UConn players and coaching staff. They spoke to the media Wednesday at Gampel and likely won't be available again until after next week's Big East media day in New York City at the ESPN Zone.

To me, this is the biggest adjustment I've had to make after covering the NFL for 10 years. The players are available six days a week - only the day before games is off-limits. You fill one notebook up on Monday and have another one ready for Tuesday. If you are talking to Tom Coughlin, the Giants coach, the waste of the natural resources squished together to make the notebook is not as great.

That's not the way it is in college sports. These kids actually have lives; classes, papers to write, blogs to read (excuse the shameless personal promo). So a beatwriter has to be industrious when given the chance to speak to your Huskies. We store quotes like squirrels bury acorns, like industrialists horde inside information on stocks. You pull out important information as you need it and keep the rest for a rainy day.

It's been a while since I've been to one of these Big East media days. They actually used to be held at hotels, usually in the New Jersey area, close enough to an airport so out-of-town teams could have a lunch, a piece of chocolate cake and be back before rush hour traffic. Not anymore. Now it's smack in the city that never sleeps at lunch time, in the hub of Times Square.

I always feel sorry for the coaches and players of conference teams without major media coverage, like just about everyone except UConn, Rutgers and to a lesser extent, Notre Dame and Villanova. No one stops to say hello to them. They sit at their tables, solitary figures likely with great stories to tell, the ice slowly melting in their water glasses, condensation dripping down the sides and moistening the napkins (if they have good table manners) being used as coasters.

Most of us walk by them with a quick nod and a blank, sheepish look that apologetically implies we have absolutely nothing to say except we hope they had a good flight, a nice lunch or ask if they had bought a knock off watch or pocketbook yet from the gentlemen with the big plastic bag on 42nd and Broadway.

But that's women's basketball in this country, still dominated by concentrated pockets of intense interest and wide expanses of direct distain. How many reporters do you think will hop flights from Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Kentucky, Tampa or even Chicago to get a chance for a one-on-one interview with the women's basketball coach from the university or college in their city?

Just about as many that come to Hartford each year to cover the Big East tournament - one, maybe two, perhaps three. And that's only if there's a good lunch special at Max's Downtown.

So allow me to fill in the blanks today by asking myself a few questions. Imagine I am Geno Auriemma sitting on the set of his show, a coffee mug and Meghan Pattyson-Culmo to my left.

I'll take my first question from John in his living room.

John, I hear that UConn's guards might be the quickest they've ever had. Is that true?

"That is true. You don't want to be behind Renee Montgomery, Ketia Swanier and Lorin Dixon at the door when Kohl's has its next Saturday morning Early Bird sale. These kids can run the length of the floor - and get back - before anyone knows the last toaster has been sold."

The next question comes from John in the kitchen

John, is it true that Kaili McLaren has lost a lot of weight and may provide UConn with its most surprising "new" player this season?

"That is true. I estimate that Kaili lost a Dixon during the off-season by basically eating salad and running away from Chris Dailey. And even though she says she still wants to lose more, I have never seen a more mobile, agile big person play women's basketball. Her jumper is so sweet they should pour it over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Oh, sorry Kaili, I didn't mean to tempt you.

Let's go now to John, who is busy reading "The Summitt."

John, why do you seem to have so much contempt for Tennessee women's basketball and Pat Summitt, the great Hall of Fame coach?

"That is absolutely not true. Pat Summitt is an icon. I have to admit that the first time I met her - during the days of "The Meeks" - I was truly in awe, like the first time I ate a sesame bagel. The Lady Vols and their coach epitomize greatness, deserve the respect of sports fans across the nation for the way they defined their sport for so many years. And I have nothing against Tennessee; they have a nice Marriott at the Nashville airport, I'll listen to country music is there's bourbon on the bar and I often wear my orange and gray Peyton Manning tee-shirt. But everyone makes mistakes and canceling you-know-what was one of the worst, right up there with the Yankees basically canning Joe Torre. Terribly short-sighted. And please give me a break, Lady Vols fans. If a grandmother wearing orange handed Candace Parker a home-made sign or a muffin when she was making her official visit, do you think anyone in Storrs would be calling the attorney general asking for a federal investigation to begin? Get a freaking grip."

One last question from John who is approaching the drive-thru window

Hey John, do you think Geno will leave UConn to become next manager of the Yankees?

3 Comments

John, your comments wouldn't be so funny if they weren't so painfully close to the truth. One factual correction: the "Meeks" era began in 1996, a year after Geno met Pat during the 1995 NCAA championship game. Chamique, Tamika and Sameka won championships during the 1996 -1998 period.

Funny? Maybe. But I am a Basketball fan and then a UConn Basketball fan. UConn Women and a number of other show off the abilities of Women that compares with the best of basketball, ever.
Cinci, Perdue, DePaul,West Virginia, S.Fla, Villanova, N.D,
etc are Great Teams. Each time UConn plays them I expect a loss.

So, I agree with your analysis of the fans of most other Women basketball programs--they are absent. Ignorant--Ignorant of the great basketball they are missing.
I cannot understand why women, whom title 9 was written to equalize, will not support their teams. They don't know what they are missing.
James Madison University, last year, is a wonderful example of a great team--going to Div I NCAA tourney, not getting the respect and attendance they deserved--because they are WOMEN.
This comes from an old male fart
who loves the game -- when it's played right.\
Whatever Geno, Chris and CPTV has done to get this fan base--should be given to all other programs--how great it would be if every school had 5000 at most games..